Always Tomorrow
by Whispered Fears
Summary: Set in the year 2009, The Charmed One's have yet another visitor from the future. Who is she? And what is her tie to the Charmed One's?
1. Beginning

_Please note: Charmed and it's character's are property of Warner Bro's, Spelling Entertainment and the writers and creator's of the TV show. All original characters, and their storylines remain the property of their copyright holder. This not for profit story is unauthorised and no infringements on any copyright is intended. All character's not of the show are my own. This story in NOT to be archived anywhere else._

The darkened sky threatened those who walked beneath it, hundreds of lost, lonely souls hurried about he city. A single solitary figure hugged herself to keep warm, clinging to the side of the buildings she moved slowly. Disoriented she didn't understand this place, unsure of those who surrounded her, she stepped to the side into a dark doorway. Calming herself she looked about "What's the best way out?" she said quietly. Studying the area she searched, peering through the throngs of people to the other side of the road; a small alley way. She manoeuvred her way through the crowd, carefully crossing the road. Looking assured she walked swiftly down the alley. Checking for people she quickly scanned the road and crevices, then peering back over her shoulder to make sure that no one was watching. She closed her eyes, and a bluish light encompassed her entire being, opening her eyes she saw swirls of colours, blurs that could have been people, she loved this feeling. The air playing with her hair as she sliced through it, then she arrived at her chosen destination.

Standing in the back yard the young woman looked around at her new surroundings, seeming pleased with herself she walked hastily around to the side of the house, casually she looked into the windows to make sure none of the occupants saw her. At the front door her nerves seemed to give way. She checked herself quickly, smoothing her shirt, sweater and jeans, running her hands through her hair to get rid of any fly-a-way's. Checking her reflection in the window she looked at herself, her eyes, nose, mouth, chin, ears and cheekbones. 'Not bad!' she thought, 'Nothing like my mother though.'. Thunder clapped loudly in the distance bringing her back to reality, "It's not far away." she said under her breath. Composing herself she knocked three times on the door. Lightning pierced the sky behind her, she turned to watch it, she had always been fascinated by storms, ever since she was a small child. Inside she heard someone call out "Just a minute!", then footsteps approaching she waited patiently, her back to the door.

* * *

Piper Halliwell was folding laundry in the kitchen when heard someone knock at the front door "Just a minute!" she called out as she put down the pair of trousers she was folding and walked swiftly to the door. Opening it she saw what looked like a young woman standing on the top step, her back to her watching the lightning in the distance. "Hello? May I help you?" she asked, her tone warm but unsure. As she said this the girl turned slowly, she was about 23, long mahogany hair, deep blue eyes, and seemingly perfect alabaster skin. As she turned a gust of wind blew her hair up around her shoulders framing her beautiful face.

"Hi! I'm Penny. I was wondering if I could talk to you?" she asked, her voice sweet and musical. Piper looked at her suspiciously

"We're not interested in buying anything if that's why you're here!" she said sharply raising her right eyebrow. Piper looked into Penny's eye's, there was something familiar about this girl.

"I'm not selling anything." she laughed, "I really just need to talk to you Piper! You and your sisters!"

Piper was a little scared now, 'It's never good when someone already knows your name.' she thought.

"How do you know my name? And that I have sister's?" she asked, unsure that she really wanted to know.

"I'm not here to harm you!" Penny told her, "I'm here to help you!"

"_Who's there?"_ A voice called from upstairs andPenny's eye's lit up.

"Please I honestly want to help!" Penny said again.

"_Piper! Who's there?"_ the voice called again as she walked down the stairs. Piper was transfixed by Penny, staring her eye's washed over her_ 'Her face and eye's are sincere.'_ she thought,_ 'And there's something oddly familiar about this girl.'_ The voice from upstairs rounded the corner, it was none other than Phoebe Halliwell, Piper's younger sister. Phoebe stood behind Piper and placed her hand on her shoulder, as she did Piper jolted.

Phoebe looked at Penny suspiciously,

"Who are you?" she asked

"Hi! I'm Penny." she answered.

"I, I was just about to let her in." Piper said softly as she stepped aside to let Penny in. Both women watched her as she walked through the foyer, to the foot of the stairs. As she looked up, Piper walked over to where she was,

"Paige isn't home right now, she should be here soon though." Piper said suddenly cautious, "My son's are upstairs sleeping right now, so we don't want any trouble."

"That's okay. I'm not here to cause any." Penny said looking back at Piper, "How old are they?"

"Six and four and a half!" Phoebe answered impatiently, "Piper can I talk to you for a minute?" she asked

"Um. Penny, Why don't you go into the sitting room and wait for us there!" Piper said her arm extended towards the room to here right.

* * *

Piper and Phoebe went into the kitchen quietly Phoebe asked

"Who's this Penny girl?"

"I'm not sure!" Piper said as she started to make coffee.

"You're not sure? You're not sure? You let a complete stranger into this house and you're not sure?" Phoebe asked, straining to keep her voice down.

"She want's to help! She was sincere about that part. Plus there's something about her. Look at her when we go in there. She's very familiar!" Piper responded, opening a container filled with cookies.

Penny was in the sitting room she waited calmly, 'Six and four' she thought 'Whoa!' she couldn't believe it Chris and Wyatt we're so young. She wanted to run upstairs and wake them up, she wanted to see them so bad. But not as bad as she wanted to see Paige.

Piper carried the tray into the sitting room, on it was steaming hot chicory coffee and Piper's homemade cookie's, Phoebe followed her in looking directly at Penny who was watching Piper intently.

"Are those double choc chip macadamia's?" Penny asked with an impish grin, as Piper set the tray down. Piper looked up and noticed a few small freckles on her nose.

"Yes they are!" She said amused.

Phoebe watched Penny very carefully as Piper handed her a cup of coffee,

"Mmm … smell's good!" She said reaching for a cookie, as she did her sleeve hitched up revealing a small triquetra tattoo on her wrist.

"Nice tattoo!" Phoebe said slightly sarcastic, but intrigued at the same time. She noticed that Penny had gotten self conscious and quickly pulled down her sleeve, as she looked towards the fire place. Piper shot Phoebe a dirty look and mouthed 'What did you do that for?'. Phoebe shrugged her shoulder's 'What did I do!" she thought.

"So what time will Paige be home?" Penny asked looking at Piper

"Soon, she's due any moment." Piper said flashing Penny a smile, "Phoebe why don't you go and give Paige a call and see where she is?"

Penny watched Phoebe as she walked out of the room, then she turned her attention back to Piper who was holding out the plate of cookie's.

"Thanks!" she said excitedly taking one of the larger one's of the plate. Piper watched her as she bit into it, Penny closed her eye's as she savoured the taste. Piper smiled and said,

"So Penny, tell me more about your self."

* * *

Phoebe entered the solarium, she knew Piper was right, the whole time she had been in the room she could see there was something familiar about Penny. But she still wasn't positive that she could be trusted,

"We've been burned before!" she told herself. "Paige!" She called out. As she waited she played with on of the ferns on the window sill. Next to her Paige orbed in with spectacular fashion, blue light's shining throughout her slender frame,

"What?" she asked before the light's dissipated, when she was whole she continued "I was at the back door when you called." she laughed as she flicked her dark brown locks with her fore finger.

"Some girl just turned up on our doorstep wanting to talk to us!" Phoebe answered.

"What! Us as in 'The Charmed One's' us, or us as in 'I'm selling beauty product's'." Paige asked in her sarcastic tone.

"She's not seeling beauty product's! That's for sure" Phoebe laughed. "And she didn't say 'The Charmed One's' either. She just asked Piper point blank if she could talk to her and her sister's." Phoebe explained

"Where is she?" Paige asked inquisitively.

"Follow me!" Phoebe said in her silly voice, as she started to walk back to where she left

Piper and their guest.


	2. Chapter 2

"What do you want to know?" Penny asked staring into her cup. Piper could see that she was uncomfortable about being asked about who she was.

"Why don't you try telling me about you're name." she offered, "How did you come to be called Penny?"

"Well actually," Penny started looking up at Piper, "My full name is Penelope Patricia Grace D…" she paused biting her bottom lip, Piper could see the pain in Penny's face,

"Penelope Patricia Grace!" she repeated, "That's a lovely name! We're you named for anyone or did you're parent's just like the name?" she continued trying to coax a response.

"Well Penelope was my great grandmother, and Patricia was my grandmother and Grace is an old family name. It's not really spectacular, but I like it!" Penny explained.

Piper was definitely surprised, Penelope was her Grams' name and Patricia was her mom's name, glancing sideway's she saw Phoebe and Paige coming, Looking back she asked,

"So where are you from?", not entirely sure if she wanted to know.

"San Francisco!" was the blunt reply.

"Where about in San Francisco?" Paige asked coolly from the doorway. Penny's faced brightened and then just as quickly a deeply sorrow filled look washed over her face. She stood silently and walked over to the fire place , she traced one of the photo frames above it with her finger,

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." she said quietly as she picked the photo up and looked at it. Paige and Phoebe both took seats on the lounge, watching Penny as she stared at the picture. She knew this one was only taken recently, because the sister's hadn't changed.

"Try us?" Phoebe said, her tone whimsical, "You wouldn't believe some of the thing's we've heard."

Penny turned back towards them the photo still in her hand,

"I can only tell you so much without changing anything." she said as a tear fell from her eye. She looked at Phoebe and smiled weakly, "What's today's date?" she asked wiping the tear from her face.

"July 23rd!" Phoebe answered

"What year?"

"2009!" she answered again wondering what Penny was up to.

"Congratulations, Phoebe!" she said this time, with a wide grin on her face. Both Paige and Piper looked at Phoebe, then at Penny who was still grinning, then back to Phoebe.

"What does she mean congratulations?" Paige asked slowly. Phoebe stood up and walked over to Penny, scanning every inch of her trying to get a reading off her. When they were both face to face, Phoebe looked deep into the girl's eyes, searching. Grabbing her arm, she tried for a premonition.

"How did you know?" she whispered, "I haven't told anyone yet." Piper and Paige watched the two of them surprised and a little shocked.

"I know every major event that happens to this family for the next 25 years!" Penny told Phoebe. Phoebe's mind began to race, _'Is this my child?'_ she thought.

"No! I'm not." Penny answered, "But she's lovely all the same, a lot like you actually."

Piper sat back amused, at first she wondered the same thing, then she remembered when Chris was here. Penny was obviously from the future as well, _'I wonder if she knows how Chris is? If he's even there?'_. Penny looked over to Piper and smiled.

"He's fine! A bit of a trouble maker, in a good way, but he's fine all the same."

Piper looked at both her sister's, Phoebe was still in shock and Paige looked quite amused as she ate on of the cookies.

"Thankyou!" Piper said, "But if you're not Phoebe's daughter who are you?"

"I'd rather not say, if it's all the same. It's not really relevant. But I am family!" Penny told them hoping that would quell the barrage of question's she knew was coming.

"Ok then." Paige said casually "Why are you here then? Is there some sort of imminent danger?"

"No, not danger, per se!" Penny laughed, "It's more of a personal/ family call!"

* * *

All of a sudden the kid's demon alarm went off upstairs. Paige orbed up stairs almost as soon as the first blast went off, Phoebe and Piper ran up the stairs double time, Penny in spite of the panic in the air, casually followed them knowing no harm had befell the boys. Upstairs Piper picked up Chris who was laughing at himself, amused at the trouble he had just caused. Wyatt was at the foot of Chris' bed watching everything, laughing with his brother.

"Wyatt Matthew Halliwell!" Piper said firmly, "Christopher Perry Halliwell! You know that's a no-no.". Penny stood in the doorway and tried to stifle a giggle,

"You might like to know that they never change!" she said giggles erupting from her. Piper just looked at Penny, who found the commotion the boys had just caused funny.

"This isn't funny! They've been doing it a lot lately and they won't say why."

Penny tried to calm herself as she walked into the room and sat on the bed. As she sat down, she took the impish youngster from Piper and beckoned Wyatt over with a wave of her hand. The three of them huddled close together, whispering. Piper, Phoebe and Paige all stood back and watched, wondering what was going on.

"Where's Un… I mean Leo?" Penny asked, as the three of them sat back.

"He's up there!" Paige said pointing upwards. "Is that why they've been doing this?" She asked crossing her arms. Penny nodded her head,

"Yep! They just want their Dad back." she said pushing the hair out of her eyes.

The boys both scampered off the bed, Wyatt took Chris' hand and the two of them ran out of the room, Penny stood up and started after them, pausing for a second she looked at Piper,

"Don't worry! They're going to be fine." then turning her attention back to the boys she continued after them in a slow jog. Phoebe who was back to her usual self put an arm around Piper's shoulder,

"Well if nothing else, at least we know that Penny's good!"

Piper and Paige both looked at her, continuing Phoebe laughed,

"Wyatt's force field! It didn't go up! She must be good!". Then she led her sisters out of the bedroom and back towards the sitting room.

Downstairs, Penny had caught up with the boys, and all three of them now sat on the sitting room floor playing with toy cars. Wyatt looked at Penny, then back at the toy's in front of him,

"Who are you?" he asked.

"I'm Penny!" she said. Not taking his eye's of the toy's in front of him,

"I'm Wyatt and this is my brother Chris." he said, smiling he continued "We're special did you know that?" Penny tried not to laugh.

"Yes I did know that." she told him smiling.

Piper, Phoebe and Paige all walked into the room, seeing that Penny and the boys we're playing quietly, they all took seats and watched them. Chris turned around and looked at his mom, flashing her a cheeky smile, he quickly turned back to the toys, as he did he orbed three cookie's off the plate, and into his hand. Without looking up Wyatt orbed the top two out of Chris' small hands, one appeared in his hand and the other into Penny's. She smiled at both of them,

"Thankyou, two." she said just loud enough for both of them to hear. Piper wanted to tell Chris off for taking the cookie's without asking, both he and Wyatt had been doing that a lot lately as well. But Piper couldn't mostly because he had shared, and that was plain good manner's, she decided to just give him a warning.

"Christopher Halliwell! Next time ask before you take something." she said sternly.

"Okay mom!" he said, still playing with his cars. Penny raised her right hand slowly and as she did the cars elevated, then concentrating hard she made the cars move around like they were on a race track. Both Chris and Wyatt were wide eyed, they thought that it was great.

"Whoa! That is so cool." they both chimed in unison. The three woman lent forward to watch a bit closer, they too were mesmerized by Penny's magical aptitude.

"Neat trick!" Phoebe said, "Where did you learn that?"

Looking at Chris and Wyatt, Penny gave them both a quick wink and set the cars back on the floor, getting up she looked at each of the woman, then back at the boys, who were now busy scooting the cars along the floor using their powers. Piper frowned slightly, 'Thanks for teaching them that one.' she thought.

"My cousin's taught me that when I was very young. It was one of the training tools we used to train our magical powers. And because I was a kid, I thought it was fun!" Penny told them.

"And where did they learn it?" Piper asked.

"Leo taught them. Or at least that's what I was told."

Piper smiled, as she watched the boys, then she looked at the clock on the wall, '4.30.' she thought, 'I have to start dinner soon.'

Penny sat her self down next to Phoebe, watching Piper she followed her gaze and looked at the clock, her eyes then fell to the photo below it.

"Where is he?" Penny asked.

"Hmmm?" was Piper's response.

"Leo? Where is he?"

"Up there. He'll be home soon." she answered.

Phoebe still wanted to know more about Penny.

"So without revealing to much, is there anything that you **can** tell us?" She asked.

"That all depends on what you want to know." Penny told her, "I don't know everything that happens, just the major things."

"Then tell us what qualifies as major." Paige said.

"The usual. Births, deaths and marriages. I know a few of the other little details that went with each event, but if it wasn't the be all, and end all. We weren't told." she explained.

"Well that's no help." Phoebe said, sounding defeated.

"What about demons?" Paige asked, she was curious about them and her future.

"What about them?"

"Are we ever rid of them? Do any of us ever live a fairly normal life?"

"You know better than anyone that you will never be completely rid of demons. Nevertheless, you should all know that any child of a Halliwell lives a relatively normal life. You all make sure of that."

Piper was not interested in finding out anymore. As long as her family we're safe, that is all that mattered.

"I'm going to go start dinner." She announced. "Who wants to help?"

The boys looked up and both shook their heads no, and then went back to playing. Phoebe nodded her head, since Penny couldn't tell her, what she was interested in she didn't really want to find out anymore either.

"I've got some marking to do." Paige said, "But I'd still like to talk to you, Penny."

Penny looked at Paige and smiled

"Okay."

Piper and Phoebe both stood, then they both walked towards the kitchen, as they reached the hallway Phoebe put her arm around Piper's neck,

"So what's for dinner, anyway?" She asked.

Upstairs Paige quickly got changed in the bathroom, Penny waited patiently in her bedroom. She looked at everything taking it all in, the look of the room, the smell. She walked over to the dressing table and picked up the bottle of perfume, putting it up to her nose she inhaled deeply, breathing in the scent, 'Mmm!' she thought. The smell was so familiar it was the same soft floral scent that she wore. She put the bottle back where she had got it from, and then she picked up the photo next to it. It was one taken after Chris was born, Penny knew the story of what had happened when Chris was born; it was a painful event in her family's past. Replacing the photo, she went over to the bed and waited for Paige to come back in. When Paige walked in a few minute's late, tying her hair back into a slick ponytail. She was casually dressed in a pair of faded blue denim jeans and a long sleeve lavender cashmere sweater; she walked towards where Penny was and sat down next to her. Paige noticed that she was watching her every move intently.

"What is it? Do I have something on my face?" she asked, joking.

"No, you don't." Penny answered slowly, "It's just that, you're so beautiful."

"Why thankyou." Paige said a little bit embarrassed.

Penny started crying she had been fighting these tears for so long now. Ever since she actually realised that Paige was in the same place as her. Penny's tears startled Paige.

"Honey! What's the matter?" She asked putting an arm around Penny's shoulders. This only made Penny cry harder, and Paige scared 'What have I done?' Paige thought.

"What is it? You can tell me!" She said kindly.

Penny opened her mouth to talk but she was still overwhelmed, 'Calm down! Your scaring her.' she told herself. Penny took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

"I. I. I want to tell you." she sobbed "But I don't want to scare you. And Chris told me I couldn't."

"It's okay. You can tell me anything." Paige told her.

Penny knew that she was overreacting but she didn't care.

"When I congratulated Phoebe for a moment both her and Piper thought that I was their daughter, But you, You just thought it was funny." she cried.

Paige was confused,

"I'm very sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings…"

Penny cut her off,

"That isn't what hurt my feelings. And it's not my feelings that are hurt."

"Then what did I do?" Paige asked feeling frustrated.

"You didn't think that I could be your daughter!" she wailed, crying harder.

Paige was stunned into silence. She kept one arm around Penny, rubbing her shoulder, trying to comfort her. With her other hand, she slowly lifted Penny's chin with her her middle and index fingers, studying her face.

"Honey why did that hurt you?" she asked, although deep down she already knew the answer.

"Because!" She said, although all she could hear was Chris' warning in head playing over and over again. "Because I am YOUR daughter! You're MY mom!"

Paige wasn't sure what to do or say. Staring at Penny, she opened and closed her mouth several times to say something, but nothing came out. Letting go of Penny she slowly got off her bed and walked over to the window and looked out. Gathering her wits, She turned back towards Penny who had her head in her hands, Leaning back against the ledge she slowly let out a breath.

"I'm your mom?"

"Yeah!" Penny said quietly wiping her eye's, her shoulder's shuddering. "It's a shock to you isn't it?" she asked.

"Yeah I guess you could say that."

Penny's forehead creased, her eyes full of confusion.

"But why?" she asked shaking her head, "I don't understand, why are you shocked?" Tears started to well in her eyes again. Paige watched her, she was numb, she didn't know what to say. Penny looked back at Paige, her eye's full of questions. Paige walked slowly over towards her and crouched down in front of her.

"I don't want to hurt you." She said softly, taking both of Penny's hands in hers and looking into her eyes. "But I never thought that I would have children." She paused, thinking 'This is going to be hard on her, but she has to know the truth.' Shaking her head sadly she continued.

"And I'm not, or wasn't sure that I even wanted kids."

Penny snatched her hands back reeling in horror. This didn't sound like her mom. Paige gently put one hand on her knee.

"I don't want you to think that this is bad news. It's just a shock still." Paige tried to explain, tears forming in he eyes. Penny knocked her hand off of her knee, and crawled to the other side of the bed.

"Your not her! You can't be." She cried, jumping off the bed, "Your not my mom!"

Running out of the room and down the stairs, she didn't know where to go. Pausing when she got to the bottom, Penny looked around confused, everything was different. Penny had lied when she got there, she didn't want to worry everyone, right now she didn't care, she wanted out, NOW! 'That's not my mom. It can't be.' she repeated over and over again. She could hear Paige running down the stairs after her.

"Penny, wait! Come back." Paige called out.

Phoebe and Piper ran out of the kitchen.

"What's going on?" Piper asked.

Penny looked at her aunts,

"I lied to you! You're all in terrible danger." Penny sobbed. Then she orbed out leaving her two shocked and confused aunts and mother behind.


	3. Chapter 3

"What the hell is she talking about?" Asked Phoebe. Paige just looked at her sisters, Phoebe could feel her pain and confusion.

"Oh, sweetie. What happened?"

"I'm not exactly sure?"

"Why don't you come in here and tell us." Piper said motioning towards the kitchen. Five minutes later, three very quiet women sat around the Halliwell dining table.

"So, ok. Let me see if I got this right. Penny is my niece, she came back from the future and we're all in terrible danger. But she told us before that we weren't." Phoebe said slowly, scratching her head.

"That's the cliff notes version." Piper quipped.

"But we're in danger?" Phoebe said again. "Why couldn't she have given us a name?"

"What am I going to do?" Paige asked sounding helpless.

"About what sweetie?" Piper asked trying to be as supportive as she could.

"I crushed her. She said that I wasn't her mom." Looking at Piper, "What did she mean?"

"I think that maybe she meant that you didn't sound like the mom that she knows."

"How are we going to find her?" Phoebe asked. "We don't have anything that belongs to her."

"We could try calling for her. That might work." Piper suggested.

"It won't work. She hates me now! Penny won't come if any of us call for her." Paige told them stretching her arms towards the center of the table. "How can I be a mom? I was so mean."

Piper smiled at her,

"You're a great aunt. I'm sure that you are in fact a great mom. And I also know that you were not intentionally mean to her. You just didn't handle that particular situation the best way." She soothed, "Don't beat yourself up about it, we'll find her."

"Piper's right. But can I bring everybody's attention back to Penny's other revelation." Phoebe said, her voice tense, "We're in terrible danger! And we don't know what or who might be after us."

Paige let out a quiet whimper of distress.

"It's okay. We'll ask Leo for help." Piper told them trying her hardest to keep them and herself calm. "Leo!"

Leo orbed in, his body silhouetted by the magical white and blue orbs.

"Piper? What's the matter?" He asked looking confused. "I said I'd be home at 5..."

Piper cut him off,

"We have a problem." She told him. Wyatt and Chris came running in,

"Daddy!" They both squealed, running at Leo full speed, wrapping their arms around his legs. Leo bent down and hugged them both back.

"How are my little men?" Then looking back up at the sister's he asked

"What's this problem?"

"Boy's can you go back and play in the sitting room, please?" Piper asked them. Wyatt and Chris looked at their father,

"Do we have to?" Wyatt whined.

"Please!" Piper repeated. Both boys stomped off back to the sitting room.

"Leo come and take a seat." Piper said gesturing towards an empty chair.

"We have quite a bit to tell you."

* * *

Penny orbed to the hill overlooking the bay of San Francisco, the place she always went when she needed to think. Sitting down she hugged her knees and continued crying.

"Go away!" she told the man standing behind her. But he didn't move. Instead he took a seat next to her and played with a few blades of grass.

"I told you not to tell her!" he said softly, trying not to scold her. Penny looked up at him, her red eyes brimming with unshed tears.

"Did she even want me?" Penny asked him.

"Yes!" he told her putting an arm around her shoulder, "She wanted you more than anything in the world. You were her reason for being."

"But Chris, she said that she wasn't even sure that she wanted kids."

"And I tried to tell you, that Paige doesn't even make her mind up until after Mel is born."

"But…" Penny started, Chris cut her off before she could say anymore.

"But nothing. Paige loved you more than life itself." He told her, his bright green eyes full of sympathy and pain as he continued.

"Your mom had so many plans for you. And she made the biggest sacrifice that she could so that you had the chance to fulfil them."

Penny could see Chris' eye's begin to water, laying her head on his shoulder, she felt a great big lump forming in her throat as she forced the tears from her eyes.

"Mom would have been so disappointed with me if she saw the stunt I just pulled."

Chris lent his head on hers and smiled,

"No she wouldn't have. Do you want to know something else?" he asked.

"What?"

"She did see!" he said sitting back up. Penny lifted her head and stared at him.

"What am I going to do?" she asked, her eyes suddenly filling with anxiety. "I told them that they were in danger."

"Don't worry. Go back and explain." Chris said standing up, extending his hand to help Penny up.

"Come with me?" she asked, grabbing his hand and pulling herself up.

"I can't."

"Yes you can. You just don't want to."

"Penny I can't"

"Why not. Come on Chris, give me a really good reason."

"How about the last time that I was here the world was altered, Gideon stabbed me, and how could I forget, I died in Dad's arms."

Penny giggled.

"It's not funny Penny."

"No it's not. But I was just thinking. You look pretty good for a dead guy."

"Ha-ha. You know what I meant."

"Then why couldn't you just say it. I'm too darn scared to go back there and explain what happened." she said.

"You know one of these days you're not going to have a come back." Chris said shaking his head slowly.

"And on that day, I'm going to jump out of my chair and do a little dance." she laughed as she took a step towards him.

"Please Chris! I need you."

"What am I going to say to them?" He asked her.

"The truth. The whole truth. Everything we know. And then I'll tell them why I came back."

Penny looked away.

"We can't change that, Pen." Chris said softly.

"You did!" she whispered. "When you came back to save Wyatt you changed Piper's future."

"Not intentionally."

"But I want my mom. You got yours."

"Penny we can't come back in time and change the past every time we don't like something that happened." He told her, everything coming out a bit harsher than he had intended.

"I would have loved Paige to have come home that day too, but she didn't. I accepted, and we all thought that you had too!"

"I accepted it. But I… I just want her back."

"I know. We all do." Chris said hugging her, "Come on, let's go now before it gets to late."

Looking up at him Penny smiled.

"So your coming with me?"

"Yep. I can't very well come to town and not visit, can I?"

"No you very well can't" she laughed as they orbed back to the manor.


	4. Chapter 4

Leo sat at the table his mind racing.

"Pregnant! Future! Daughter!" he said looking at Phoebe and Paige.

"Yeah!" they both said in unison.

"Danger?" he asked looking at Piper, who nodded her head. Scratching his head Leo looked at the three of them.

"Well I guess I could speak with the Elders, but I don't know how much they're going to be able to help."

"Please Leo. Anything! We have to find her." Paige said sounding desperate.

"We will!" his voice assured and comforting.

All four quickly stood when they saw orbs appearing in the center of the room, Penny and Chris quickly materialised in front of them. Paige knocked the chair she was sitting on out of the way and rushed over to Penny.

"I'm so sorry!" she said hugging her tight. At first Penny was confused, but after a second she hugged her back.

"I'm the one who should be sorry. I had no right to dump all that on you like I did." She said burying her head in Paige's neck. "I was just so happy to see you, I wanted you to know who I was.". Letting go Penny stood back and looked at her mom.

"You were worried about me?" she asked sounding pleased. Paige took Penny's hand.

"You want to know something Penny. I was! And it's very strange how fast you worry about your kids." she paused her face full of surprise. "Even when they haven't been conceived, yet."

Piper, Leo and Phoebe hadn't moved a muscle they were staring at Chris, who was leaning casually against the bench. Paige finally looked over at him, the color draining from her face as she realised who just orbed in with her daughter.

"Chris?"

"Yeah. It's me." he said softly.

This time it was Piper and Leo who knocked over their chairs as they rushed over to him. Piper stopped short, her stomach dropping.

'What if he's not real?' Piper thought.

"He is. Touch him." Penny said gently. Piper looked from Penny to Chris and back again.

"Go on." she urged.

Slowly Piper reached out, her hand shaking, gently she touched Chris' face. Placing her whole palm on his face, her eyes began to well.

"Chris!" she whispered as she pulled him close to her, holding him tightly.

"But we thought you died!"

Chris wasn't sure what to say so he just closed his eyes and hugged her back.

"It's a long story mom." he said quietly.

Leo watched his wife and son, a tear rolling down his cheek.

"I think your suffocating the boy." he laughed wiping his face.

Chris and Piper broke from their embrace and looked at him, smiling Chris stepped closer to his father.

"Dad!"

Leo rushed towards him and pulled Chris close.

"I love you so much." Leo whispered struggling to remain composed.

Phoebe walked over to Piper and waited for her turn.

"I can't believe it's him." Piper said smiling as she looked at her. The two men separated and Phoebe quickly grabbed Chris and squeezed him tight.

"I've missed you." she told him.

"Well I've seen you nearly every day!" he said joking as they took a step back from each other. Looking over at Paige his eye's filled with guilt.

"Sorry Paige. I told her before she left not to tell you." he tried explaining "But she doesn't listen to anyone."

"It sounds like Penny's just like her mother." Piper said a hint of sarcasm in her voice. Both Paige an Penny looked at her.

"Very funny." Paige said rolling her eyes. Phoebe looked from Chris to Penny.

"You both have a lot of explaining to do."

"We know. I think I should probably go first." Penny said. "So. Umm, where do you want me to start?" She asked taking a seat. Paige and Phoebe sat either side of her, Chris, Piper and Leo sat on the other side of the table.

"How about who or what is after us this time." Phoebe suggested.

"Have any of you heard of a man named James Daniels?" Penny asked.

The others all shook their heads, except Chris who played with the table cloth.

"No. Who is he?" Leo asked.

"He's the one who starts all this."

"Starts what?" Piper asked raising one eyebrow.

Penny looked over at Chris, hesitant to answer. Chris gave her a silent nod to continue.

"I should tell you more about James before I continue." she said moving uncomfortably in her chair.

* * *

"James Daniels started out in the mail room at Reid, St. Clair and Partners in May of 2004, and I three weeks time he will become the youngest vice president of that firm. I bet that your all wondering how he got that far in only five years. Daniels cut a deal with a high level demon two years ago. I don't want to scare you all, but there's something that you must know. Because of Daniels, the next two years will seem like an endless barrage of attacks and attempts on your lives." Penny stopped, she saw the look of horror on everyone's faces. Piper grabbed Chris' hand and held it tight, he gave her a quick slight smile and squeezed hers back. He gave Penny another nod and she continued.

"That's not to say that you all don't have good times as well." She turned and faced Phoebe, "Aunt Phoebe you have a beautiful baby girl, that you love and cherish," turning she faced Piper and Leo, "And Aunt Piper and Uncle Leo, you both have each other and Chris and Wyatt, who bring you both more joy and happiness than you ever thought was possible." Pausing Penny slowly turned to face Paige, taking her hand she thought about what she was going to say, looking up she held Paige's gaze,  
"And you, mom, you fall in love with a wonderful man, who loves you more than life itself, you get married and have me."

Paige gave her hand a squeeze and smiled bashfully,

"Really?"

"Well, yeah."

Phoebe gave Piper a look of confusion and Piper knew exactly what she was thinking,

"Why would this Daniels guy profit from demons attacking us?" she asked.

Penny quickly swung around in her seat and looked at Piper.

"What?" she asked acting like she didn't hear.

"I asked, Why would this Daniels guy profit from demons attacking us?" she repeated.

Penny turned away and stood up, putting her hands on her head she tried to find the right words, but there were no right words for that particular question. She looked over at Chris, her eyes full of sorrow and torment as she searched for the answer. Chris sat up straight, he knew the answer but he wasn't about to offer it up. All it would do would upset everyone, and put Penny's future in doubt. He looked back at his cousin, the usually jovial and carefree girl he knew was not the same person that stood in front of him now. 'If Pen answers that question that everything will change, everyone's future would be changed.' he thought.

Luckily enough Wyatt and the younger Chris came bounding back into the kitchen,

"Mom, we're hungry is dinner ready?" Wyatt asked.

Snapping to attention Piper remembered that she was supposed to be cooking.

"Not yet, it will be ready very soon though. Why don't you guys have half an apple each." she said standing up and taking an apple from the fruit bowl in front of her. Wyatt and Chris huddled together and quietly talked over Piper's proposition.

"Yes or no guys?" she asked, starting to get impatient.

"Yes!" Younger Chris answered. Piper walked over to the bench and in one swift movement she cut the apple in half.

"Here you go." she said handing the boys a half each. Looking over at the table,

"Why don't we continue this after dinner?" she offered.

Phoebe groaned, she wanted answers now not in a couple of hours time. Penny had a relieved look on her face as she sat back down. Paige watched her daughter, she could tell there was something she was hiding, but thought that prudence was the best option at this particular point in time, the last thing Paige wanted right now was to upset Penny and have her take off again. Glancing over at Chris she was relieved that he was ok, and impressed with how his features had enhanced over the years, he would have had to be nearly thirty but still looked as if he was only 24.

"Why don't you take Penny and Chris upstairs and let them get changed before dinner, give them something warm to wear it's starting to get cold." Piper said looking up from the vegetables she was chopping. Both Paige and Leo stood and motioned for their respective child to follow, and off they went up the stairs, Phoebe waited til they were out of ear shot.

"I don't like the sound of what she had to say. And that strange silence after your question was unbearable. What could possibly be so hard to say?"

Piper agreed but didn't say anything, she studied Phoebe's face as she glanced up.

"Maybe it was just some obscure revelation, that could change someone's future." she said, "But I highly doubt it, It may just be that she doesn't know why Daniels' affiliation with a demon would affect us." And with that she continued the dinner and left Phoebe to her thoughts.


	5. Chapter 5

After dinner Leo pulled the girls aside,

"Why don't we wait until after the boys are in bed, then ask Penny to finish explaining her part and asking Chris to tell us what happened?".

Paige was happy Leo brought it up she wanted some time with Penny, before they got into the heavy topics again. She started to nod eagerly.

"That's a great idea Leo. We won't have to worry about the boys barging in." Piper said poking her head around the corner to check on the kids, "Wyatt Matthew Halliwell put that down now."

Phoebe was not to happy about waiting she wanted to know exactly what was after them and why, but she nodded her head in agreement.

Penny and Chris sat in the sitting room and kept one eye on the buys while Penny freaked out.

"Chris," she whispered "I can't answer that question it's impossible."

Chris was sitting on the lounge with his legs crossed staring at his younger self listening half heartedly to Penny.

"Chris?"

"I don't know Pen. Would it be so bad to tell them?" he asked.

Penny threw her arms in the air,

"What do you think. You know what happens. You know who Daniels is." she hissed, fed up with his nonchalance.

"I'm just saying, you've already told them what he's done, where he works etcetera. Why not just give them the last little detail?"

She stared at him then waving her hands in front of him she continued,

"Are you even here? You… I …'' she stopped she was getting to irritated with his lack of concern, getting off the lounge she walked to the doorway looking out and checking where the others were, turning back to face him.

"Chris, can't you tell them?" she asked.

"No way! Not even if you begged me." he answered perturbed.

Looking back out into the hallway she let out a nervous giggle, and shook her head. 'That'd be right, he doesn't want to tell because he knows they'll all freak out.' Just then she saw mom and aunts coming, turning back casually she leant against the wall. When they walked in the room she stayed where she was.

"Chris, Wyatt, Bed time." Piper told them clapping her hands together. With out fussing both of them jumped up gave their aunts hugs and ran up stairs.

"Be back soon." Piper said following them out.

Phoebe took a seat next to Chris and started up a casual conversation, but Penny still didn't move, Paige watched her intently.

"Penny!" she called softly, "Why don't you come sit down?"

Penny just looked at her, then gazed over at Chris who was staring at her

"Sit Down!" he mouthed.

Penny stood up straight and walked slowly to the chair, hovering for a moment before sitting. Paige smiled at her, taking a deep breath, Penny smiled back.

"So what's it like in the future?" Paige asked trying.

"It's ok. Not so different from now."

"Do you want to tell me anything about you? Or do you want to know anything about me?"

"I don't know. I mean what can I tell you?"

Paige smiled slyly.

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

Penny blushed deep red, Chris and Phoebe looked up from their conversation.

"Tell her Pen. She wants to know." Chris teased.

"Yes!" She said glaring at Chris, who looked very pleased with himself.

"What's his name?" Paige asked, endeavouring not to be too obtrusive. Penny rolled her eyes, she hated these questions.

"Sam."

Paige raised her eyebrows.

"That was your grandfathers name."

"I know." Penny responded as she looked at her finger nails.

"So how old is Sam?"

"25."

"Do you like one word answers?" Paige asked, slightly joking.

"Not always. Just during the Spanish Inquisition." Penny said smiling. "I guess I could tell you, I'm at college studying hard, although I don't as yet have a major. I was in the top fifth percentile of my graduating class, and I beat Chris and Wyatt every time we play Monopoly."

"She's a cheat that's why!" Chris accused laughing.

"I am not, you both just suck."

"I'm impressed."

"Don't be Monopoly's an easy enough game. You just have to get all the good streets." Penny said trying to dodge the obvious meaning of Paige's comment.

"I meant the school stuff. Top fifth percentile that's pretty good."

"No. Top fifth percentile in the country is pretty good, individual school rankings -not so important."

"Well I'm impressed!" Paige said defiantly.

"I, agh. What I'm going to tell you later isn't exactly the most pleasant news." Penny said changing the subject.

"We'll handle it. We always do."

A sudden uncomfortable silence hit the room, both groups had run out of non specific topics to talk about. Shifting awkwardly, Penny prayed that Piper and Leo wouldn't be long.

* * *

In a dark room on the other side of town, a tall handsome man sat alone in his office. His table was strewn with paperwork, knocking it all to the ground he picked up a letter opener. Cutting his hand he produced a small dish and candle from the draw, letting the blood flow into the bowl, he lit the candle.

"_The secrets hid within in the night  
The oldest of evils I invoke  
The great malevolence is sought here tonight _

_Blood and pain, but not in vain._

_Return now to whence it began."_

He whispered, hate and self loathing clearly present in his voice. A cloud of flames and smoke emerging in the office.

"It is time." said a voice from the cloud.

The man hung his head in shame,

"Yes my liege."

The cloud then disappeared as if it was never there. Someone knocked on the office door.

"Yes?" he asked putting his hand under the desk and pushing the candle and dish back in the draw. The door opened just enough for the young woman to pop her head through.

"I'm leaving now Sir, is there anything else you need before I go?"

"No! I'm fine."

"Ok Sir. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodbye Sue." he said his patience wearing thin. As she closed the door, the rubbed his temples and rested his head on the desk.

"Tomorrow it all begins!" he told himself.


	6. Chapter 6

Piper and Leo entered the sitting room looking at each of them,

"Well this is really comfortable!" Piper said walking towards an empty chair. "Why don't we start with Penny answering my question."

Penny watched her as she gracefully sat, then glancing at Leo she could tell he was interested in what she had to say. Holding Paige's hand she looked over at Chris who was staring at his shoelaces.

"I don't know how to say it gently," she started. "So I guess I'll just spit it out. James profits because he is going to be linked to you soon. Piper do you remember what I said when you asked me my name?"

"You said it was Penelope Patricia Grace you paused when you got to your last name."

"My full name is Penelope Patricia Grace Daniels! James Daniels is my father."

Chris put his hands up to his head, Paige's face drained completely of colour.

"How? I don't associate with evil forces."

"He's not evil!" Penny told her, "My father is a wonderful man. He was very driven in the beginning and he made a very wrong decision, but that doesn't make him evil."

"So who is he working for?" Phoebe asked cautiously.

"His name is Dalton. My father is just a pawn in his race to become the source."

Piper let out a hushed laugh.

"Well what else is new? Whenever a demon wants to try and take the evil throne they always come after us first. Why use your father?"

"Because by using my dad he can break into your inner sanctum, attack from within." Penny told her.

Chris lent forward, taking a breath he added,

"James isn't a bad guy. He really loves you all. But Dalton had such a hold on him, he couldn't fight him until it was too late."

"Too late?" Leo asked perplexed.

Chris took a look at Penny who was shaking he head in defiance, she didn't want him to say it.

"During one attack, someone is mortally wounded. It isn't until then that James defies Dalton."

"Who?" Piper asked.

"Me!" Paige said her voice cracking. "It's me, isn't it!"

Penny looked down at her feet, her eyes beginning to well again. Slowly she nodded her head.

"Yes! It's you." she whispered as a tear fell.

Phoebe and Piper both put their hands to their mouths, the shock unbearable.

"I'm not losing another sister." Phoebe yelled. "I'm not. I'm sorry Penny, but she's not going anywhere near James Daniels."

Paige was staring at her hysterical sister. Her eyes full of misapprehension 'How can this be happening to me?' she thought. Leo, who was still standing, slowly sat.

"She has to!" Piper said softly.

"What? No she does not!" Phoebe shrieked, tears in her eyes.

"Yes I do." Paige told her tears falling.

Chris stood up and left the room, they heard him on the stairs.

"Where is he going?" Phoebe cried.

"To get the book." Penny assumed.

"Maybe we can stop Dalton, before anything bad happens. I mean we know who's after us, we know why. We obviously know more now than we did before. We can stop all that from happening." Leo told them all.

Upstairs they heard the attic door open, and seconds later close again, then Chris' on the stairs again.

"Maybe." Paige said.

Chris bounded around the corner holding the book in both hands, quickly sitting back down he pulled the coffee table closer to him and laid the book down. Flicking through it he searched quickly, knowing what page he was after.

"Here!" he said turning the book towards Paige. "This is Dalton, he enters in a cloud of smoke and flames, he also has mental control over those who call on him."

Phoebe slumped into the chair,

"So we can't call for him, he'll be able to control us." she said frustrated.

Penny looked at her and smiled,

"No you can't. But dad can. What Chris didn't say is that blood is required as part of the spell. Dad, has called for him before, he knows the spell and how to perform it."

"So you want us to send Paige out there tomorrow, and somehow get your father back here and perform the spell?" Phoebe asked.

"Yeah! Why not? They were going to meet tomorrow anyway. You can't dodge fate, even when it's partly fabricated."

Paige looked at Piper and Leo, searching their faces for a hint of what they were thinking.

"I'll do it." she said squeezing Penny's hand. "If it is in my future that I meet this guy, I'll meet him. And hey if we defeat a demon and I fall in love, great."

"Don't worry he won't harm you." Penny assured her. "He never does."

Piper smiled and thought, 'Poor kid. She obviously loves both her parents, no matter what happened.'

"Okay, now that that's settled Chris, It's your turn."

Chris groaned.

"Fine."

* * *

"The last thing I remember about being here before, is dad, begging me not to go. Then I woke up, in my bed, in my time, two days later."

Leo was taken aback,

"But how?"

Chris looked him in the eyes, and shook his head.

"At first we didn't know, we still don't know exactly how." he told him. "Everyone had their own little theory, That because the timeline had changed I couldn't have been directly affected by Gideon's attack. Or that I was somehow protected by some kind of unknown magic. Or the plain and simple, that when I was born I had to leave because I couldn't exist in one place as two beings."

"But you still don't know?" Piper asked.

"Well, there is another thing that I did find out just before I came here now." he told her. Penny's forehead creased as he spoke.

"What?" she asked cautiously.

Chris looked over at her.

"I was talking to Wyatt, telling him what you had done and that I was coming back to get you. And he started to talking, explaining something at a million miles per minute. I sat him down and told him to slow down and tell me what he'd just said all over again, and he did."

"What was it Chris? What did he say?" Penny asked.

"He told me that he brought me back, at the last moment. When I was fading, he called for me. Then he and a friend, Jacob, had healed me. Watched over me for two days, and when I was conscious he told everyone else that I had appeared."

Penny was so confused, She just stared at him unable to speak.

"Why did Wyatt wait so long to tell us that you had come back?" Piper asked.

Getting up Chris walked over to the fireplace, keeping his back to all of them.

"He wasn't sure if I was going to live. The magic from Gideon's dagger was meant to kill him, and when I was stabbed by it, it slowly started to do the same thing. But for some reason it accelerated when he called for me, and that's when he started to panic. He didn't want to call dad or tell mom, because he wasn't sure how to tell anyone what he'd done."

All of them sank deep into their chairs taking in what Chris had said. Penny considered everything that Chris had just told them, and everything they already knew.

"He couldn't bear losing you." she said her voice filled with admiration.

Chris turned around and they all looked at her. Smiling she shook her head.

"Wyatt and Chris are the best of friends. They do everything together and with us, in the future we're like one whole gang of friends. Wyatt, Chris, Mel and me. We hang out, bounce ideas of each other, tell each other our deepest, darkest secrets." she explained.

Chris smiled at her.

"Wyatt brought you to him, because he wanted to be there if the worst happened. He loves you Leo, but he couldn't bear it if anything happened to Chris." she continued.

Piper looked down at her hands, a slight smile in the corners of her mouth, she was so happy to hear that her boys had grown up loving each other as she loved her sisters.

"So Wyatt saved you?" Phoebe asked.

"Yeah. Umm. Dad and the others wouldn't have been able to slow or stop what was happening. He said there was this whole thing about because it was meant for him only he could stop it from actually killing me and that the baby version of him couldn't have done anything. And that by the time you had all figured it out it would have been to late."

"I can't believe he didn't tell us. He kept that to himself for five years. Wyatt knew we were all dying to know what the heck had happened." Penny rambled.

Chris laughed, his green eyes lighting up.

"Penny you know Wyatt just as well as I do. That guy wouldn't tell you he'd fixed your spelling errors if it meant that you were going to praise him. He's a humble guy. So quiet and unassuming that you usually have to coax a conversation out of him."

Penny nodded in agreement, that was her cousin all right. Piper stood and walked over to Chris and gave him a huge hug.

"I'm so glad that you are still in my future, I love you so much" she told him.

Breaking apart she took his hand and led him towards the hallway, stopping to take Penny's hand.

"Why don't I show you where you two are going to sleep tonight." she said.

Paige jumped up and took Penny's hand in her own.

"If it's all the same I'd like Penny to stay with me tonight." she told Piper.

"Ok then. But it's getting late we should all get some sleep. Tomorrow's going to be a big day."

* * *

In an apartment near his office James Daniels twisted and turned as he slept. Sweat poured off of his face and chest.

"No, No, No!" he yelled as he woke himself from a nightmare. Kicking his legs free from the sheet's he swung them off the side if the bed. Lifting one arm he flicked the light switch, and the room was flooded with light. Resting his head in his hands and elbows on his knees, he thought back on what he had just dreamt. _'Could that be my future?'_ he thought. Easing himself up he walked out of the bedroom and into a small entertaining room, heading straight to the bar he poured himself a glass of fifteen year old scotch. Taking a sip, he closed his eyes as it burned the back of his throat. Walking over to the closest chair he sat and remembered the woman's face, that he had been dreaming about.

* * *

Paige watched Penny as she slept, gently pushing a strand of hair off of her face. Smiling to herself she thought over everything she had heard today.

"How can I love somebody I only just met so much?" she asked quietly.

Resting her head on her inner arm Paige put her face level with Penny's studying every inch.

"I won't let you down." she told her pulling the blanket up over Penny's shoulder. Then rolling over she turned the light out and drifted off.


	7. Chapter 7

When Paige woke up the next morning she was all alone, frantically she scanned the room, kicking the sheets out she jumped out of the bed.

"Penny?" she called out.

Knocking on the bathroom door she waited for a response. No answer. Opening the door she quickly checked, 'She's not there!' she thought panicking. Flinging open the door, she ran down the stairs.

"Penny?"

Quickly she checked the sitting room and the solarium.

"Penny?"

Running into the kitchen she stopped short, at the table sat Piper, Phoebe, Chris and Penny. Grabbing her chest she let out a sigh.

"I thought that I had dreamt you up, when you weren't there when I woke up." she said breathlessly.

Penny handed her a steaming hot cup of coffee.

"I didn't want to wake you."

"Where are the kids?" Paige asked.

"Leo took them to Sheila's then went up to speak with the Elders." Piper answered. "Sit down and have something to eat."

"Quickly. Then I have to go get ready."

After a quick breakfast Paige went upstairs to shower and dress, and the others waited for her. Pacing in the solarium Penny started to fret.

"What if it doesn't work?" she asked Chris. "What if in coming here they don't meet now?"

"Calm down. You needn't worry. James is Paige's destiny, just as you are." he told her.

Piper and Phoebe were standing over a table with the book casting a protection charm, just in case.

"_Magic forces far and wide,_

_Enhance these so those can't hide._

_Allow this witch to use therein,_

_So she can see the evil within."_

"That should do it." said Phoebe.

Paige came down the stairs.

"Where are my keys?" she asked as she entered to room. "What are you doing?"

"We enhanced the keys so that you would be able to identify evil." Phoebe explained. Rolling her eyes Paige picked them up.

"Was that really necessary. Penny told us I wasn't in danger."

"It's just in case. Daniels may not harm you, but there may be someone watching him." Piper told her.

"So where are you going to go?" Phoebe asked.

Paige shrugged and looked over at Penny.

"Where do we meet?"

"At your favourite coffee shop, Cuppa Joe's."

Paige looked surprised, then giving Penny a quick smile she started to walk out of the room.

"Do you want to know the funny thing?" she asked turning back around, "I just remembered that I was supposed to meet Caroline there today."

"Well you better get a move on then." Piper laughed.

When Paige had left the house Penny turned and faced her aunts.

"I guess now we wait."

* * *

James paced around his office, wringing his hands. He kept one eye firmly on the clock and one on the door. 'What am I going to do?' he thought. Marching to the door he reefed it open turning quickly on his heels he walked back to his desk and grabbed his brief case and jacket. When he reached Sue's desk he paused, looking down at her.

"I'm going out for a while. I don't know when I'll be back." he told her.

* * *

Paige took a seat at the window not sure who she was even waiting for. Checking her watch she picked up the menu and casually perused it.

"Hi!" someone behind her said.

Spinning around on the stool, she saw Caroline, a tall, willowy woman with beautiful big brown eyes, cropped black hair and clear tanned skin. She was wearing a figure hugging light pink skirt suit, with a white shirt and burgundy sling back pumps.

"Hi. I thought I was late." Paige said biting her lip. She hated lying to her.

"I don't know about you being late, but I was held up in traffic. So what's new?"

Paige considered the possible reply to her question, settling on an answer she responded.

"Nothing much. I've been working a lot lately."

Caroline nodded in agreement.

"I know what that's like. I've been working hard, pulling late nights and…" she stopped and looked at Paige, "You don't really want to hear my problems do you?"

"Of course I do."

"Well as I was saying working hard, late nights, brown nosing like you wouldn't believe, and they give the promotion to someone else. I swear I can't win."

Paige frowned sympathetically.

"That sucks. I've totally forgotten, where do you work again?"

"Reid, St. Clair and Partners." she said intently reading the menu.

Paige's mouth dropped, and her eyes widened.

"I knew that name sounded familiar." she said quietly.

"Pardon?" Caroline asked, looking up.

"Oh. Nothing it doesn't matter. So I know you said you've been working hard, but have you meet anyone?"

"Nope. Haven't had the time. I know what I'm having. You?"

Shaking her head Paige quickly scanned the menu again.

"I don't believe it." Caroline said staring at the man who just walked in.

"What?" Paige asked turning around to look at him. Rasing one eye brow she surveyed him. He was tall, but not too tall, with dark auburn hair, sparkling blue eyes, a warm smile dressed smartly in a dark charcoal two piece suit.

"It's James Daniels, the guy who beat me for the promotion! I had no idea he even knew this place."

Quickly swinging back around she took a sip of water and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. 'So that's my future?' she thought. Caroline sat up straight and smiled, Paige gave her a funny look, not wanting to turn around, but out of the corner of her eye she saw a blur of grey.

"Hello Caroline." said a breathy but intoxicating voice.

Paige looked up at him.

"Hello James. This is my friend Paige Matthews. Paige, James. So what are you doing here?"

Shrugging his shoulders he stared at Paige.

"I had to get out of the office, I was suffocating."

"Would you like to join us?" Paige asked, transfixed by James' eyes.

Pulling up a chair he continued to stare.

"Sorry if I'm staring." he said catching himself. "It's just you look so familiar, and I can't place where I've seen you before."

* * *

After they had all had a little something to eat, Caroline stood.

"I have to get going, I should get back to the office." she said looking at James who hadn't moved.

"Can you tell Sue that I'll be back later." he said picking up his glass. Paige stood and gave her a hug goodbye.

"I'll talk to you soon ok." stepping back Caroline picked up her bag and left with a wave. Sitting back down, Paige gave James a quick smile.

"You have a beautiful smile." he said. Covering her mouth in embarrassment she looked at the table in front of her.

"Thankyou. Yours is very nice as well." Checking her watch she saw that it was 1 o'clock. Playing with the sugar pourer in front of her she thought about what Penny had said the night before. 'He is a very nice man.'

"So Paige Matthews what is it that you do?"

"I'm a teacher."

"That must be very rewarding." he said trying to catch her attention.

"It is. But it's also very tiring."

"And what do you do with your time off?"

"I help my sisters, play with my nephews…" looking up at him she revealed a mischievous smile. "And hanging out with strange men that I just met in coffee shops."

Both started to laugh, feeling at ease. James tapped his fingers on the edge of the table, then stopped his eyes revealing his thoughts. 'I know where I've seen her before!' he thought. Paige watched James who was suddenly quiet.

"Is there something the matter?"

"No. I just remembered where I've seen you before." he said quietly.

Paige was unsure of what he meant.

"Where."

"This is going to sound a bit strange. But I've had a recurring dream for the last few weeks, and well, you were in it." he said staring at his hands.

Paige was intrigued, her recurring dreams had a habit of happening.

"At least I know it's not a pick up line." she said taking a sip of water. "I have a confession for you. I was told that I was going to meet you today."

James looked up, his eyes meeting hers.

"Really? Like what? Horoscopes?" he asked smiling.

"No it wasn't horoscopes. It was just something that someone told me." she said smiling back.

James leant forwards and brought his face close to Paige's.

"I know this may seem brash, but would you like to have dinner with me tonight?"

Paige blushed slightly, she usually wouldn't have accepted with such short notice but with what Penny had said and what her heart was telling her she couldn't help but feel it was right to accept.

"Yes. I would love to have dinner with you." she said she said smiling at him.

"Great! I probably should go back to work and then I'll pick you up? Or we can meet at the restaurant?"

"Which one?"

"Carrington's"

Paige lost her breath for a moment.

"That's a very good restaurant."

"It is so pick you up or meet you there?"

Thinking about it for a moment, 'If he pick's me up Piper and Phoebe will see that he's a great guy.'

"I guess you could pick me up" she said picking up a napkin, then searching her bag for a pen. To her surprise there wasn't one in there. James opened his briefcase and held one out for her, smiling she took it and quickly wrote down the address.

"One of my sisters or my brother-in-law might answer, but they're harmless." she told him handing him the napkin. Their finger tips touched for a brief moment, both of their cheeks instantly flushing. Pulling her hand back slowly, Paige saw a small cut on the inside of his hand. Knowing how it had happened she pretended not to see it.

"So what time should I expect you?"

"Well, I should finish at, well on second thoughts I will finish at six and I'll have to go home and get changed so at about seven for a seven thirty dinner."

"Sounds good."

James stood and straightened his jacket, feeling brave as he bent down to pick up his brief case, he gave Paige a peck on the cheek.

"Until tonight." he whispered.

Standing straight he headed towards the door, he turned back and gave her a quick wave.


	8. Chapter 8

"Where is she?" Penny asked no one in particular as she entered the attic.

"Don't worry, she'll be home when she gets here. Now Chris what else do we need for this vanquishing potion?" Phoebe asked.

"That's it!" he said looking up from the book.

"What are you doing?" Penny asked.

"Making a potion, just in case." Piper told her.

"There is no potion for Dalton in the book."

"We decided to use the one that is similar to the one used on Balthasor."

"But you need his flesh for that one don't you?"

"We thought we might to be able to use a drop or two of your fathers blood, if he calls Dalton forward for us." Phoebe said.

"How would that work?"

"Well, as you yourself told us blood is part of the spell. And I figure, we figured that they would be joined. Your father's blood should help us destroy him."

Downstairs the front door opened and closed, then they all heard footsteps on the stairs.

"I'm back." Paige sang up the stairs. "Where is everyone?"

"In the attic." Piper yelled down.

"I don't know if that will work. And if it doesn't that will put you all in even more danger. I'm sure of it." Penny told them. "Chris. Back me up."

Chris looked at her, putting the book aside he stood up and walked over to her.

"We don't know that it won't work. And even if it doesn't were going to set a crystal trap and then my mom, your mom and our aunt Phoebe can say the vanquishing spell." he told her giving her shoulders a squeeze. "It'll be okay."

Paige entered the attic and saw Phoebe filling potion bottles.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"A vanquishing potion." Penny told her.

"Okay then. Well I have a date tonight."

They all stopped and looked at her.

"You met him? You talked to him?" Penny asked running over to her.

"Yes. We met, we talked, we had lunch and tonight were having dinner." Paige told her.

"You liked him didn't you. Your not just doing this because of what I told you?"

Paige cupped Penny's chin in her face.

"I did like him. You were right he's a lovely man." she told her.

Penny smiled, and walked towards the door.

"What are you going to wear? Can I help you pick something out?"

"Yes you may." Paige said laughing.

Piper caught her Paige's arm before she could follow her daughter out.

"Are you sure that this is the right thing to do" she asked her cautiously.

"Yes. James is a great guy, and I want to help him and us."

* * *

James stood in front of the darkened doorway hesitating to knock, checking his watch he sauntered over and rapped twice, then took a few steps back from the door.

"I'll get it if you want." someone inside said.

The door opened inwards and a young woman casually popped her head around. James noticed he eyes widening as she brought her hand up to her mouth.

"Ah, Hi. I'm James I'm here to pick Paige up." he told her.

Giggling the girl removed her hand and stepped aside to let him in.

"I'm Penny, Paige should be down in a minute."

"Are you one of Paige's sisters?"

"No. I'm not … um… I'm just a relative."

Four people walked into the hall, and stood behind Penny.

"This is Piper and Phoebe, they're Paige's sisters, this is Leo, Piper's husband and this is Chris." she told him.

"Hi." James said feeling apprehensive.

"Okay guys I hope your not torturing him." Paige joked as she walked down the stairs. Everyone let out a gasp as she came into view. She was wearing a fitted black dress with spaghetti straps that went just past her knees. Her hair up and to the side in a pinned ponytail with a few curling tendril framing her face.

"You look amazing!" James said breathlessly.

Smiling she walked over to him.

"Thankyou. You don't look so bad yourself."

Taking her hand James grazed it with a sweet and lingering kiss.

"Are you ready to go? Or do you need a few minutes?" he asked looking up at her.

"I think I'm ready, just let me get my wrap and purse."

As they walked out together Paige turned around and waved goodbye and mouthed 'Don't wait up!'

* * *

While Paige and James were at dinner Penny and Chris orbed over to P3 to discuss they're options.

"We can't stay here forever Penny. We have to live our lives in our own time." Chris stated emphatically as he waved his hands in the air.

"But we won't know if we've changed anything for a while."

"I'm willing to risk it Pen. I came back so that you weren't alone. But if we stay too long we put ourselves at risk. Not only that but we'd put them at risk as well."

"What about the time line?" Penny asked quietly.

"What about it?"

"We don't even know where we'd be going back too."

Chris looked down at his shoes, he knew what she was saying. He had changed his time line and he had to live with the memories of everything that had happened in that life.

"We have to risk it. We can't stay here, we don't belong."

"Can we please give it at least a month? Or until they vanquish Dalton? Whichever comes first." she asked trying to catch his eye.

"Fine a month or Dalton. No extensions and no exceptions." he told her.

Penny jumped up and down a few times and then hugged him quickly.

"Thankyou Chris."

"Okay, okay, calm down. Let's go back to the manor and ask mom if we can set up a bed for you in the attic." Stopping a cheeky grin crossed Chris' face. "That is of course unless you want to share with Wyatt and little me."

"No offence or anything but I think I'd prefer the attic."

"I had a funny feeling you'd say that."

* * *

"Leo what if this doesn't work?" Piper asked as she lay in his arms on the sofa. "What if we can't defeat this Dalton guy? I can't handle losing another sister."

Leo kissed the top of her head and smiled.

"you won't lose another sister. You, Phoebe and Paige will vanquish him and then we'll all go back to living our semi-normal lives."

Piper snuggled closer to him and rested her head on his chest, listening to his heart beat.

"You always know exactly what to say to make me feel better." she said closing her eyes.

Penny and Chris orbed in front of them causing Piper to bolt up.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing." Chris said shaking his head. "We were jus wondering if it's okay to set up a bed for Penny in the attic?"

"Why?" Leo asked.

"Well were not sure how long were going to be here, and I can't expect mom to share her room with me all the time, she needs her space." Penny explained.

Leo looked at Piper who was nodding her head in agreement.

"Chris, why don't you give me a hand." he said standing.

Chris nodded and the two men orbed up to the attic. Penny stood in front of Piper looking a bit uncomfortable.

"Why don't you have a seat?" Piper suggested.

"I'm really sorry about all this inconvenience." Penny said sitting down. "I just wanted to make it all different."

"I understand."

Penny looked around the room bobbing her head and tapping her knees.

"Penny! Are you okay?"

"Yeah." she said stopping, she could see her aunts face full of concern. "It's just I'm a bit nervous."

Piper raised her eyebrows as if to ask why.

"I don't know if I've made the right decision. If mom lives to be an old woman now, that would be great, but I don't know what I go back to."

Upstairs there was a thud followed by laughter.

"If they wake the boys up…" Piper said her voice trailing off. "Well I don't know if this will help, but wouldn't you just be going back to a similar place. The only difference being that your mom is there now?"

"I guess so, it'll just be weird."

Piper nodded and both of them looked over at the front door that had opened.

"Bye." they heard Paige say.

"So what happened?" Penny asked when she walked in the room.

"I think you know that I had a good time."

"Fine then be cryptic, I'm going to bed, if there is a bed." Penny said getting up and walking past her.

"What does that mean?" Paige asked when she was gone.

"Don't ask. So?"

"Let's put it this way, most of Penny's described future is a definite possibility."

"Really?" Piper asked a roguish smirk on her face.


	9. Chapter 9

**THREE WEEKS LATER**

Penny was curled up in a chair reading the newspaper giggling to herself.

"What's so funny?" Phoebe asked, smiling as she walked in.

"I can't believe you actually told Miserable in San Mateo to suck it up and apologise."

"Yeah well she was a pain in the butt, she's been sending similar letters for the last few months and it's always about the same thing, 'My boyfriend and I are fighting what should I do?'".

Penny stood and walked towards her.

"How are you?"

Phoebe smiled again and tilted her head.

"I'm fine. Just feeling a bit queasy."

"Have you told you-know-who yet?"

Phoebe shook her head.

"Not yet."

"Okay then, different subject. What are you doing today?"

"I don't know. I was going to ask my favourite niece if she wanted to hang out today, but by the looks of it she may be busy."

Penny beamed.

"No not today."

"Good I was thinking we could catch a movie, have lunch, do a bit of shopping. You know girly things."

"So, no Chris?" Penny asked a playful tune in her voice.

"No Chris. Just you and me kid. Where's your mom?"

"With my dad. She left earlier, something about today's the day."

"For what?"

"She didn't say. Maybe she's going to tell him she knows his secret."

"Well are you ready to go?" she asked checking her watch. "It's 10.30, we can catch the next session of Vin Diesel's latest, then have a late lunch."

"Ohh. Is that The Chronicles: Part 3? If so I love that film." Penny said putting her shoes on quickly. Phoebe stood there staring at her, then slapping her hands against her legs.

"I keep forgetting your from the future!"

"That's funny!" Penny said walking to the front door. "Because I don't."

* * *

Paige brushed a few strands of hair from her eyes, and looked out across the bay.

"Strawberry?" James asked.

"Yes please." she said smiling sweetly. Taking a bite she put her hand to her mouth and looked back across the bay. 'How do I tell him?' she thought.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked.

Turning her head back she looked deep into his eyes.

"There's something that I want, well need to tell you."

"It's not good, is it?"

"Depends on how you look at it, I thought it was when I first heard it, but now … it's growing on me." Taking his hand she kissed it quickly then turned her whole body so she was facing him. "The day before I met you, somebody came to my house and told me this whole story about this guy and his big secret, and how his secret affected me and my family."

James looked down at his hand in hers, a guilty panic in his eyes.

"I don't want to scare you and I understand that this may be hard for you to hear, but I think you need to." she continued. "The guy she was talking about was you. I wasn't completely sure until I saw the cut on the inside of your hand the day we met. My sisters and I know about Dalton. We know that you called on him a few years ago to help your advancement at Reid and St. Clair's, we also know that he has some kind of control over you. We want to help you! Help us to vanquish him?"

He looked up at her his eyes filled with sorrow and dismay.

"How can I help? Because of me, you are in danger. He told me to get close to you, and tell him certain things about you and your sisters."

This time she looked at their intertwined hands. Then looked back up at him.

"I know. You can help us, we have a potion but we need a few drops of your blood and we need you to call him for us. We know that he has control over whoever calls him and we can't vanquish him if one of us calls him."

"If I help you, does this mean the end of everything?"

"If you mean us, No. If you are talking about work and everything else, I don't know."

"Who told you about me?"

"Penny."

"Your, What is she? All you both have said is that she's a relative."

Paige looked out in to the distance again, 'Can I tell him? It would be too strange for him, wouldn't it?' she thought.

"Can I tell you that later, I'd prefer to talk to her first."

He nodded, confused by the secrecy.

"Would you like to come back to the manor and talk to my sisters and Leo about when we can, you know." she said spotting a couple walking close by.

"I guess so." he said quietly, ashamed.

* * *

"One, two, three, four … you better be hiding." Chris said.

Two smothered snickers sounded behind him, so he continued counting.

"Five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. Ready or not here I come."

Stopping for a second he remembered where he used to hide as a child, 'That wouldn't be fair to find me first, I have to find Wyatt first. But then that's not fair, either.' he thought feeling conflicted.

"What are you doing?" Leo asked, an amused tone in his voice.

Chris spun around and watched him walk down the stairs, a confused look on his face.

"Playing hide and seek. The only problem being I know where I'm hiding."

Leo laughed.

"So find Wyatt."

"But is that fair? I'm purposely not finding …. me!"

"I'm sure it's fine." Leo said gaining control of himself. "Wyatt is usually found last, it'll make a nice change for him."

Chris nodded then went after Wyatt, assuming that he was hiding in the solarium.

Leo chuckled as he turned towards the front door, seeing Paige and James walk in.

"How was the picnic?"

"Fine!" Paige said putting their stuff on the floor near the door. "Where's Piper and Phoebe?" she asked looking up.

"Piper's at P3 and Phoebe took Penny out for the day."

"Damn."

"What?"

"We were going to talk to them about vanquishing Dalton."

Leo looked surprised.

"You told him."

"Yes, she told me." James said feeling left out.

"Sorry. I shouldn't be talking about you as if you weren't here. I'm just surprised is all."

"I understand."

"If you want I can go get Piper, then bring her back and then go get Phoebe."

"Thanks Leo, that would be great."

Leo orbed out, James turned and looked at Paige.

"What was that?"

"He orbed." she told him. "Leo's a well, it's a long and complicated story. I guess you could say he's like an angel."

"We've got a while, can you try to explain it"  
"Let's go in here." she said motioning towards the dinning room. Both of them took a seat.

"Leo was an Elder, who are like in charge if Whitelighter's, who take care of witches." she said trying to keep it simple. "Whitelighter's are like guardian angels, they give helpful advice and heal their charge's if it's required.

"So Elder's can do the same?"

"Yes. And on a larger scale. They don't have charge's they live up there and watch over everyone and they give advice to Whitelighter's."

"Okay so Leo was an Elder?"

"Yeah. He was and now he's a Whitelighter again."

"Again?"

"I told you it was complicated. A few years ago, there was an incident and because of Leo's part in helping to solve it he was changed from a Whitelighter to an Elder. Then something happened a year later, and he asked to go back to being a Whitelighter."

"Okay then, that is complicated."

"How come you found us so easy?" Wyatt asked Chris as they walked in the room.

"Because I'm clever." he said ruffling Wyatt's hair.

"Hi Paige." all three chimed.

"Hi guys." she said laughing. "Did you practice that?"

"No!" Wyatt and the younger Chris yelled in unison.

"Where'd Leo go?" the older Chris asked.

"To get Piper and Phoebe. He'll be back soon."

"Okay then. You guys want a drink?"

"Yes."

"Let's go."

Paige and James watched them go into the kitchen.

* * *

"Kevin, we need four cases of beer, the spirits need replacing in the dispensers, have the cleaners check the restrooms and have everything restocked in there … what else?" Piper said reading the to do list.

"I'll check the back for the beer, we might need to call through an emergency order." Kevin said as he walked to the back room.

"Mmmhhmm." Piper mumbled as she continued reading. Hearing a jingling noise she looked up and saw Leo materialise.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Paige and James are at the manor. They want to talk to you and Phoebe about vanquishing Dalton." he stated.

"Oh. She told him?"

"Yep."

"Everything?"

"I don't think she told him about Penny yet. I don't know if she will."

"Okay just give me a sec. I have to tell Kevin that I'm leaving." Piper said getting up from the stool and walking out the back. A few seconds later she re-emerged.

"Okay lets go."

* * *

After taking Piper back to the manor Leo went to Quake and tried to find Phoebe and Penny, orbing in behind the building he quickly walked in and past the manager, spotting them he quickly walked to their table.

"Hi, we need you back at the house. Paige and James are there."

Penny's eyes widened 'That means it is nearly time.' she thought.

"Okay but we'll drive back and meet you there." Phoebe said calling the waiter over with a wave of her arm. "Check, please."

"Fine but hurry." Leo said. Then turning he walked back to where he came from and orbed home.


	10. Chapter 10

"Where's Phoebe and Penny?" Piper asked looking behind Leo when he orbed in.

"They'll be here soon, they're driving back from the restaurant now." he said half smiling as he put his hands in his pockets.

"Let's go up to the attic then." Chris suggested, turning back to face his parents. "What are you going to do with the kids?"

Leo looked at Piper.

"I'll take them over to Sheila and Darryl's." he said. "I'll be back soon. Boy's get your stuff."

The boys came running into the room, each carrying a bag.

"Are we going to Uncle Darryl's?" Little Chris asked.

"Yes. Are you ready to go?"

"I think so." he said looking around. "Yep."

"Okay both of you take my hand, and we can go."

Piper watched as her husband and sons left, then she turned and began to walk up the stairs.

"Come on, let's get everything set up."

James looked at her, 'Set up?' he thought. 'I thought we were going to talk.'

In the attic Piper moved a few vials of the vanquishing potion onto the table closer to the book. Then picking up the pin cushion she walked over to James.

"We need a few drops of your blood for each vial." she told him, her voice gentle yet unwavering.

James looked at her then at Paige.

"Are we going to do this today?" he asked slowly.

Piper looked at Paige, a completely bewildered look on her face.

"Isn't that why we're all here?"

"I thought we were going to discuss what the possible strategies were."

"There is only one way to defeat this demon." Piper pointed out gently.

"Are you sure?"

"My sister's have been working on this for weeks now." Paige told him.

Taking a deep breath he took one of the pins and walked over to the vials, taking the stoppers out he pricked his middle finger, wincing as a globule of blood appeared. Moving his finger to the first vial he let a few drops fall, then moved on to the next vial, then the third and so on until he had added his blood to all of them. Down stairs the front door opened and closed.

"Where is everyone?" Penny asked

"Up here." Chris called back down. Turning back he smiled at James who was sucking his finger.

"That should do." Piper said putting the stoppers back on the bottles. Looking up she looked at James. "This isn't going to be easy."

"I understand." he said leaning back against the window sill.

"What's going on?" Phoebe asked as she and Penny walked in.

"Were going to have James call Dalton soon." Piper said.

A concerned look crossed Penny's face.

"Today?" she asked looking at Chris.

"Today." Paige said.

Phoebe walked over to James.

"Your doing an honourable thing." she said laying her hand on his arm.

"Duck!" Chris yelled as a fireball sailed overhead.

Penny rushed to Paige's side.

"You need to get together. Say the spell. Chris and I will try to keep him preoccupied. Have Leo orb dad out." she said as she looked over the at Dalton, then her father who was still standing, unable to move. Chris threw Dalton against the wall using his telekinesis. Then held his hand out to help Phoebe up off the floor.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concern in his voice.

"Phoebe!" Paige yelled waving her over. Phoebe headed over to her sister.

"Are you okay?" Paige asked.

"Yeah. I'm fine." she said brushing her hands on her pants. "Where's Piper?"

Both woman poked their heads up, Chris was fending off attacks from Dalton, Penny was ushering Piper towards them.

"They need you Piper, you have to do the spell." she was saying as they hurried over. When they reached them, Penny turned back around James was still standing in the middle of the room.

"Judas!" Dalton yelled. "You think to turn on me, I made you." he continued to bellow as he made his way towards him. Chris threw him against the wall again, but Dalton continued on his path towards James. Penny jumped up and ran towards her father, grabbing his hand she tried to pull him towards the others.

"Please, fight it! We have to get you to safety." she pleaded. But he didn't move, he couldn't. Chris turned around to check on them.

"Get him out of here." he yelled.

"Chris! Turn around!" Penny yelled back. It was too late Dalton saw an opportunity, and sent Chris flying into a wall. Hitting it hard, he slumped to the ground.

"CHRIS!" Penny screamed unable to move. Leo luckily orbed over to them and took them to safety.

* * *

"Phoebe?" Paige said as she snapped her fingers in front of her. Looking over at Piper she shrugged her shoulders. "Phoebe?"

Shaking her head Phoebe looked at her sister.

"If we do this no hesitations." she stressed.

"What did you see?" Piper asked.

"That doesn't matter. If we're going to do this, we do it now!"

Piper looked at Phoebe and saw fear in her eyes, 'What did she see?' Piper wondered.

"Okay, James are you ready?"

"I guess so." he said exhaling.

"What do you need?"

"Um. Candles, black ones, a blood bowl, and a sharp knife." he said.

"We can do the candles and the knife, but we don't have a blood bowl will a cereal bowl be okay?" Piper asked.

"I don't know. I have one at the office." he said.

"I'll go." Penny said and orbed out before anyone could object.

'Let's set it up." Phoebe said. James took the candles from Piper, setting them on the table and lighting them one by one, then he placed the knife next to one of the candles. Then he rolled up the sleeve to his right arm, and exhaled slowly. Penny orbed back in and handed him the bowl.

"Thanks." he said giving her a weak smile. "Do you want me to start? Are you ready?"

Piper and Phoebe both grabbed a vial off the table, then handed one to Chris and Penny. Paige walked over to James.

"This is it. After he's gone you'll be free." she said taking his hand.

"I know I'm just a little…"

"A little?"

"Scared."

"It's okay to be scared." she said reassuringly, reaching up and stroking his cheek. He bent down and gave her a quick, yet passionate kiss.

"If anything happens to me, you…"

Paige cut him off.

"Nothing's going to happen to you, me or anyone else here." she told him. Then she went back and stood with her sisters.

"Whenever your ready." Penny told him.

Picking up the knife he glanced up at Paige, and smiled unconvincingly. Closing his eyes he cut his hand again, wining slightly. Then picking up the bowl he let his blood flow into it, then he started the spell.

"_The secrets hid within in the night  
The oldest of evils I invoke  
The great malevolence is sought here tonight _

_Blood and pain, but not in vain._

_Return now to whence it began."_

Then he looked over at the sister's, 'I hope that work's, it isn't night.' he thought. His fears quickly put to rest as a cloud of flame and smoke appeared in front of him.

"You summon me now?" Dalton roared. "You were told only at night, and only at your home during this."

Paige threw the vial in her hand, quickly followed by Phoebe and Piper, Dalton wheeled around his eyes filled with fury, without stopping they started the spell:

"_Prudence, Penelope, Patricia, Astrid  
Melinda, Helena, Alora, and Grace...  
Halliwell witches stand strong beside us,  
Vanquish this evil from time and space."_

Dalton turned and faced James.

"What have you done?" he screamed as flames engulfed his being. He let out one final blood curdling scream and disappeared in front of them. Paige rushed to James side, quickly followed by Penny who was carrying a cloth.

"Here." she said handing it to Paige so that she could wrap it to stop the bleeding.

"Leo!" Phoebe said firmly.

"What happened?" he asked panicked.

"We vanquished him, but you need to heal James." she told him quickly.

Leo was swiftly at James side, lifting the cloth he placed his hand over the cut and let his magic light heal the wound.

"Thankyou." James said looking at him. "Thankyou all." he said peering up at all of them. Penny smiled at him and snuck a look at her mother, then she quietly left the room.

"Now you have to explain to me how you knew everything." he told Paige. "Please."

"Well, it was actually Penny." she said looking up, her eyes searching the room for her. "Penny? Where'd she go?"

"I'll find her." Chris said. "You tell him."


	11. Chapter 11

Chris found Penny in the same place he found her before.

"Penny." he said gently.

"Mmmm?" she asked without turning around.

He gingerly took a few steps forward.

"Do you mind if I take a seat?"

"Mm mm." she said shaking her head.

"Why'd you leave."

"What's with the fifty questions?"

"I just want to make sure your okay."

"I'm fine I was just thinking."

"About?"

"Everything. I did what I set out to do, and more." she explained turning to look at him.

"You did, didn't you."

"Yeah." she said smiling. "And now we get to go home."

Chris looked out across the bay.

"I know why you like it up here so much."

"Chris?"

"Mmm?"

"Can we go home now?"

He turned and looked at her again a look of wonder in his eyes as he surveyed her face, looking for a hint of what was to follow. She lent over and knocked shoulders with him and then moved back to where she was, laughing.

"Chris?"

"Sorry." he said shaking his head. "I was surprised. I didn't think I was going to be able to get you to leave."

"Well, I want to see what we changed."

"First things first then. We have to go back to the manor and say goodbye." he said.

"Okay, let's go." she said jumping up and holding a hand out to Chris.

"You are one confusing girl." he said taking her hand and easing himself up. "Let's go then."

* * *

James stared at Paige, trying to take in everything she had just said.

"I'm sorry, Penny's what?" he asked, clearly confused.

"Our daughter." she laughed.

James held his head in his hands.

"Okay. And she's here because?"

"She came back in time, to change a few things."

"That's what I don't get. She came back in time?"

"I know it's hard to understand, but it's a fairly simple spell."

James scratched his eyebrow, then rubbed his forehead.

"Let me see if I got this right. Penny's our daughter from the future, she came back and warned you about imminent attacks, and me. Then we met, fell in love, and you and your sisters vanquished the demon who was essentially controlling me because of a deal I struck with him five years ago. Now were sitting here. Oh and Chris is your nephew the same guy as the kid that's usually running around here."

"In a nut shell." she said smiling at him.

"Well as long as I got it right." he said taking her hand.

Penny and Chris arrived just outside the doorway, where Paige and James were talking.

"Penny? Is that you?" Paige asked.

"Yes." she answered hesitantly.

"Can you come in here?"

"Go on." Chris whispered.

Slowly Penny walked towards the door gradually she turned the handle and pushed it open. Cautiously she poked her head around and saw parents sitting opposite each other. 'There's a sight I've never seen before.' she thought taking a few steps inside.

"Come on in sweetie, it's okay." Paige said tenderly.

Swallowing, she tentatively walked towards them, she noticed James staring at her and gave him a puzzled look.

"What's going on?" she asked quietly.

"I just told James everything." Paige said. Penny looked at her shocked, thinking 'Everything.' she gulped and turned and stared at James.

"So you know, then?"

He nodded.

"So what happens now?" he asked.

"I have to go back." Penny said looking at her hands.

"You're leaving?" Paige asked, her eyes widening in burgeoning disbelief.

"Chris and I can't stay. We have to go back." she tried to explain.

"Can't you stay for a little bit? I'd like to get to know you." James asked. Penny smiled at him, relieved that he wasn't dismissive of her due to the revelation.

"You will. You just have to wait to meet me first." she told him.

James looked at her slightly confused.

"I mean you'll have to wait and see whether or not I'm born." then looking at Paige, "It all rests on what happens now."

Paige looked at James and gave him a half smile.

"Okay then, when do you leave?" he asked her.

Penny shrugged her shoulders and looked past her mother listlessly.

"I have to ask Chris."

"Well lets all go find him." James said jumping to his feet.

* * *

"So what's happening?" Piper asked Chris who was leaning on the bench watching her chop vegetables. "Chris?" she asked putting the knife down and passing her hand in front of his eyes.

"Yeah?" he asked looking up. "Sorry, I love watching you cook."

"I asked what's happening?"

"We're going back."

"When?" she asked, concentrating on the zucchini in front of her.

"As soon as we can I guess." he said picking up one of the julienne carrots. Piper swatted his hand then smiled.

"Are you staying for dinner at least?"

Paige, James and Penny traipsed into the kitchen.

"Are we?" Penny asked.

Chris turned and looked at her, 'She's a bloody enigma.' he thought.

"I guess so."

Walking over to Penny he took her arm and led her to the nearest corner.

"What's up? I thought you wanted to go home?"

"I do." she told him, her eyes showing signs if confliction. "It's just mom and dad looked really sad when I told them we were going the want us to stay a while."

Chris rubbed her shoulder, then turned around and looked at the others.

"We'll stay for dinner, then go either tonight or early tomorrow morning."

Both walked back to where the others were and stood awkwardly next to each other. Piper glanced up from the chopping board and noticed Phoebe walking in the room.

"What's up?" she asked making a beeline to the carrot's Piper had just cut. Piper slapped her hand and scowled at her.

"We're waiting to hear from those two." Piper said nodding towards Chris and Penny. "And would you all stop eating the vegetables or there'll be nothing for dinner."

All of them grinned at her, Piper fought back a smile, shook her head then continued preparing the evening meal.

"We're going to stay for dinner, then after we are leaving." Chris said inattentively.

Phoebe stared at him.

"You're leaving? Again?" she asked.

"We have to we can't stay." Penny explained. She could see the pain in Phoebe's eyes.

"I know sweetie, but you both only just got here. It can't be time for you to go yet?" she said reaching out and pulling Penny towards her, holding her tight.

"It is! Dalton's gone and your all safe. That's why I came back, so now I have to go."

Piper and Paige glanced at each other, both not wanting them to go either. Penny laughed and wriggled free from Phoebe's embrace.

"And anyway, technically Chris is still here, You'll have Melinda in a few months and then quite possibly I might arrive in a few years time."

Chris shook his head, trying his hardest not to laugh.

"Back to your usual self there Pen?"

She whipped around and glared at him.

"What?"

"No more sulky Penny? Just carefree and able to reduce everything to it's simplest form Penny again?"

Penny frowned, confused by what Chris was trying to get at.

"I think he mean's your more like the Penny he knew in the future." Paige said putting a hand on her shoulder.

Penny rolled her eyes and gently socked Chris in the stomach.

"Your such an moron, sometimes." she joked.

"Children, don't make me send you to your rooms." Phoebe said as she saw Chris about to put Penny in a headlock.

"Chris! Let goooo! You'll mess up my hair."

"Since when do you care how your hair looks?" he teased letting her go.

"Since always!" she said poking out her tongue as she smoothed her hair down. The sisters and James were standing back on the laughter.

"What?" Penny asked.

"Is it like his all the time?" Piper asked.

"I guess so! But there's also Mel! And Wyatt sometimes joins in as well." she said looking back at Chris.

"I still can't get over the fact that Wyatt's the quiet one." Phoebe said.

"Why?" Penny asked.

"Well look at him out there." she said pointing out into the backyard. Penny saw Wyatt chasing after Chris, his arms flailing about and wailing like a banshee.

"I hate it when he does that." Chris said under his breath as he lent forward. "It's when he gets to high school that he quietens down."

Turning back to face everyone Penny smiled.

"So.. Ummm Do you mind if we duck up to the attic and make the potion?"


	12. Chapter 12

Penny sat on the arm of one of the sofa chairs, patiently waiting, her leg swinging back and forth. Hearing footsteps coming up to the attic she sat up straight and looked at the doll house on the far side of the room. Chris slowly walked in the room, glancing over at Penny he saw the chalk in her hand and the outline of a triquetra on the wall next to her.

"How do you feel?" he asked her gently.

"I'm not sure." she said shaking her head woefully. "I want to go back and see how everything is, but the closer the time to leave gets, the more uncertain I feel."

"About leaving?" he asked curiously.

"About going back!"

Chris nodded his head. He remembered how he had felt when he woken up and seen his mother - Alive! A faint smile traced his lips.

"Is the potion ready?" he asked somewhat preoccupied.

"Yeah! It's over there on the table." she said gesturing over to the table. "I filled a few vials, just in case."

Piper, Paige, Phoebe and James all came up the stairs together, slowly trudging into the attic again. Seeing the triquetra, Paige grabbed Piper's hand.

"Are you all ready then?" Piper asked, squeezing Paige's hand reassuringly.

"Yes!" Chris said quietly. "Where's Leo?"

"I don't know he'll be here soon. He just wanted to do something before you both left."

Paige let go of her sisters hand and went to her daughters side. Caressing Penny's cheek with her hand, her eyes started to mist. James walked over and set one hand tenderly on Paige's shoulder and looked down at Penny.

"Thankyou for coming back." he said.

Standing up quickly she grabbed her parents and held them tight. Tears starting to form in her eyes, unable to speak, she held on to them as if her life depended on it. Placing her head on her mothers shoulder, she let Paige stroke her hair. Paige lovingly rested her head on Penny's and both women watched as Chris was enveloped in a loving embrace by his mother and aunt. Leo orbed and surveyed the scene unfolding.

"What did I miss?" he asked confused.

"Nothing." Chris said looking up, quickly wiping his nose. "We were waiting for you to get back."

Piper and Phoebe both let go of Chris and wiped their eyes and noses. Leo took a step forward and watched his son for a moment, Chris' shaggy brown hair falling in his sparkling green eyes as he waited for Leo's next movement.

"Chris, I…" Leo said taking two tentative steps towards him. "I don't know what to say."

"Well can I suggest one thing." Chris said, shaking the hair from his eyes as he moved forward. Leo smiled at him.

"Go on then."

"How about I'll see you on the other side." Chris said as he grabbed Leo and hugged him tight. "I'm so glad that I got to come back, and tell you that I'm okay."

Leo let go of him.

"So am I."

Piper linked her arm in Leo's and looked at the man her son had become, smiling she tilted her head to one side taking a good look at him.

"I'm so proud of you Chris!" she said just loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.

Chris smiled at her then looked over at Penny who was hesitant to let go of Paige, quickly he joined her.

"Do you mind if I say goodbye?" he asked, Penny nodded, stepped aside and stood with her father giving him a lively grin. When Chris let go of Paige he shook hands with James and led Penny towards where they were going to open the portal, spinning around she rushed over to Piper, Leo and Phoebe and gave them all quick hugs, then her parents another. Calming herself and smoothing her hair she nodded at Chris, picking up a vial he glanced around the room, taking everything in he raised his right arm and threw the potion at the wall. Instantaneously a bluish portal opened, and a faint whooshing sound filled the attic. Chris and Penny both took a few tentative steps towards the portal and looked back, giving them all one last smile.

"See you on the other side!" Penny said. Then both of them walked into the portal. They all let out a slight gasp as the portal closed, then hung their heads and hoped for the best.

"I don't know about you all. But I'm tired, I'm going to go to bed." Paige said despondently.

Piper ad Phoebe both nodded in agreement, then all of them headed downstairs.

* * *

**THE NEXT MORNING - 2009**

Paige sat at the breakfast table playing with the eggs Piper had cooked for breakfast, staring out into space.

"Wyatt, Chris! Where are you?" Phoebe asked as she walked in. Seeing Paige she joined her. "Hey, have you seen the boys?"

"They're outside. Playing, I think."

Phoebe nodded. Then watched her for a minute.

"They're going to be okay. You know that, don't you?"

"Yeah I know." Paige said dropping her fork. "I just miss them."

"That doesn't surprise me, they were a breath of fresh air. Not that the air was stale or anything."

Paige smiled, and shook her head. Piper sauntered in carrying a basket of laundry.

"They could have at least taken their dirty washing with them." she joked. The other two laughed with her. "Did you find the boys?"

"They're outside."

"Okay then. What are we talking about?"

"The kids!" Phoebe said.

Piper looked outside, and then pointed towards Wyatt and Chris.

"No, the other two."

"Oh! Well they have to be okay, otherwise they would have come back. Both of them had extra vials in their pockets." Piper pointed out.

"You are absolutely right." Paige said feeling better. Getting up she took her plate to the sink and turned back towards them. "I'm going to go visit James, see ya!"


	13. Fin

**THE FUTURE - 2033**

The portal opened up in the attic and almost straight away Chris and Penny stepped through. Looking back they watched as it closed, then turned as they realised someone else was in the room with them. Piper, Paige, Leo, Phoebe and James stood on the far side of the room, a mixture of elation and anger on their faces.

"Just what do you think you were playing at?" James asked.

"You were there, I think you know." Penny said, socked by the tone in her fathers voice.

"I'm just glad your back." Paige said walking forwards and giving her a quick squeeze. "You too." she said reaching up and ruffling Chris' hair.

"Well you can't be hungry, so what would you both like to do?" Piper asked, taking Chris' hand.

"I'm really tired Aunt Piper. I'd really like to go to bed." Penny said.

"Me too." Chris added.

"Off you go then."

* * *

**THE NEXT MORNING**

Penny gave her hair one last run through with her brush then ran down stairs.

"Mom? Dad?" she called out. "Aunt Piper? Where is everyone?"

"In here!" she heard Wyatt call out.

"Wyatt!" she squealed with delight as she ran in the room. "Oh my god, I can't believe it I haven't seen you in so long."

"I missed you too." he said as she jumped into his arms. Looking up at him, she reached up and brushed a lock of hair from his eyes.

"You look fantastic." she told him as she let go.

"You don't look so bad yourself."

"And we all know I look great." someone behind her said.

Wheeling around her jaw dropped.

"Mel? Ahhhh." she screamed. Then ran over to her. "How are you?"

"I'm great. Et vous?"

"I'm fine. What's with the French?" she asked laughing.

"I don't know it sounds cool." Melinda said, grabbing her cousins arm as she led her to the table. "Breakfast?"

"Why not."

Chris orbed in behind them. Seeing the girls in deep conversation, he waved Wyatt over to him.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Penny knows." Chris told him.

"I know. Everyone does, I told them after you left. Mom and dad freaked out so bad."

Chris nodded.

"Come on." Penny said grabbing Melinda's hand and leading her out of the room.

"Where are you going?" Chris asked.

"Lounge room." she sang back. "You can come if you want."

Chris and Wyatt followed the girls. Sitting down they chatted about what had happened in each of their respective lives over the past few weeks.

"Well I'm just glad your back." Melinda said kicking her leg out from under her.

Penny smiled, then the door bell rang. All of them looked towards the door.

"One, two, three." Chris counted as all of them held out their hands.

"Paper beat's rock." Wyatt said to Melinda. "And scissors beats paper." he told Chris.

"And I win." Penny said standing. Walking past them she gave Wyatt's leg a light kick and smiled cheekily to herself. As she opened the door and let out a gasp.

"Sam?" she asked, her eyes welling with tears.

"Hi sweetie." he said taking a step closer. "Can I come in?"

Penny stood to the side and let him in, closing the door behind him. Standing just inside the door she stared at him, then without warning grabbed him, and kissed him passionately.

"You should go away more often." he said resting his forehead on hers. Penny giggled.

"I missed you."

"I don't believe you, but okay then."

Leading him into the room where the others were waiting, they all said their hello's and continued chatting.

Paige, Piper and Phoebe orbed into the hallway, hearing voices in the lounge room they went to investigate. Popping their heads subtly around the corner they saw their children laughing and talking with each other. As well as Penny and Sam playing with each others hands as they talked. Paige smiled and straightened up.

"What's the matter honey?" Piper asked.

"I'm just really happy that she came back. I got to see her grow, and become an amazing, strong and independent woman." Paige explained, tears in her eyes.

Piper and Phoebe smiled.

"And she got you." Phoebe said.

Paige smiled and tried to force the tears away. Taking another look she laughed as Sam tickled Penny, making her almost fall of the lounge, turning back to her sisters she smiled.

"And now we always have tomorrow."


End file.
